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Marine Biology > Exam 1 Terms > Flashcards

Exam 1 Terms Flashcards

1
Q

sonar

A

SOund NAvagation Ranging

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2
Q

SCUBA

A

Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

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3
Q

Ocean sizes (largest to smallest)

A

Pacific > Atlantic > Indian > Arctic

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4
Q

Main component of continental crust

A

granite

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5
Q

main component of oceanic crust

A

basalt

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6
Q

continental drift

A

hypothesis proposed by Alfred Wegener that continents had once been joined together in a supercontinent (Pangea)

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7
Q

plate tectonics

A

movement of tectonic plates on Earth’s surface

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8
Q

mid-ocean ridge system

A

continuous chain of submarine volcanic mountains that encircles the globe

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9
Q

faults

A

cracks in the earth’s crust

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10
Q

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

A

runs down center of atlantic ocean

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11
Q

East Pacific Rise

A

continuation of Mid-Atlantic Ridge in pacific ocean

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12
Q

trenches

A

deep depressions in the sea floor

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13
Q

sediment

A

loose material like sand and mud on bottom

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14
Q

magnetic anomalies

A

bands of rock on ocean floor alternating between normal and reversed magnetization

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15
Q

rift

A

crack created in earth’s crust by separating plates

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16
Q

sea-floor spreading

A

entire process by which the sea floor moves away from the mid-ocean ridges to create new sea floor

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17
Q

lithosphere

A

crust + uppermost layer of mantle. Forms tectonic plates

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18
Q

asthenosphere

A

plastic, upper part of the mantle which the tectonic plates float on.

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19
Q

subduction

A

downward movement of a plate into the mantle

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20
Q

subduction zone

A

trenches where subduction is happening

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21
Q

island arcs

A

volcanic island chains associated with trenches that follow the trenches’ curvature

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22
Q

shear boundry

A

fault line where plates slide past each other

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23
Q

continental margins

A

consist of gently sloping continental shelf, steeper continental slope, and gently sloping region called the continental rise

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24
Q

submarine canyons

A

formed by rivers and glaciers and then later submerged with rising sea level

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25
shelf break
point where the slope gets abruptly steeper and the continental shelf ends
26
continental slope
begins at shelf break and descends down to deep-sea floor. Closest thing to exact edge of continent
27
deep-sea fan
accumulated sediment at the base of a submarine canyon. Forms continental rise
28
active margin
continental margin with lots of geological activity
29
passive margin
continental margin with little geological activity
30
abyssal plane
deep-sea floor
31
abyssal hills
hills on the sea floor
32
seamounts
submarine volcanoes
33
guyots
flattopped seamounts
34
chemical weathering
one source of many substances dissolved in seawater
35
hydrothermal vents
another source for chemicals dissolved in seawater
36
solutes
dissolved materials
37
salinity
total amount of salt dissolved in seawater
38
practical salinity units (psu)
expression used by oceanographers for salinity determined by conductivity measurements. Equivalent to ppt.
39
rule of constant proportions
percentage of major ions in seawater is always the same, even when salinity changes
40
temperature profile
graph showing temperature at different depths
41
water column
vertical shaft of water extending down from the surface
42
CTDs
Conductivity-Temperature-Depth meters
43
Most important gases in the ocean
oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen.
44
gas exchange
occurs between ocean and atmosphere
45
Coriolis effect
causes bending in trajectories due to Earth's rotation
46
trade winds
steadiest winds on earth. Approach equator at 45 degrees.
47
westerlies
winds at middle latitudes. Move in opposite direction of trade winds.
48
polar easterlies
high latitude winds. Most variable of all winds.
49
Eckman spiral
spiral pattern produced through water column by winds.
50
Eckman layer
upper part of the water column that is affected by wind
51
Eckman transport
Eckman layer moves at 90 degrees to wind direction.
52
equatorial currents
move parallel to equator
53
gyres
huge, circular surface current systems
54
stratified
layered. Densest water on bottom. Least dense water on surface
55
surface layer
usually 100 - 200m. Aka mixed layer. Mixed by wind, waves, and currents.
56
thermoclines
sudden changes in temperature over small depth intervals
57
intermediate layer
typically 1000-1500m.
58
main thermocline
transition zone between warm surface water and cold water. In intermediate layer
59
deep and bottom layers
below 1500m. Typically less than 4°C
60
stability of water column
stable water column has higher density differences between different layers. Thus, more energy is required for mixing.
61
downwelling
sinking of surface water
62
overturn
mixing of deeper water with sinking surface water
63
water mass
an imaginary block of water
64
circulation
movement
65
thermohaline circulation
type of circulation in the ocean. Dependent on temperature and salinity (both of which control density)
66
the great ocean conveyor
pattern of global thermohaline circulation. (~4000 year cycle)
67
period
time it takes a wave to go by a given point.
68
fetch
span of open water over which wind blows
69
seas (waves)
waves that have sharp peaks and stretched out troughs
70
swells
waves with smoothly rounded crests and troughs
71
surf
created by breaking of waves
72
wave cancellation
caused by negative interference
73
wave reinforcement
caused by positive interference
74
tides
waves with huge periods caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon.
75
tidal range
difference in water level between high tide and low tide
76
spring tides
happen on full and new moons. Largest tidal range
77
neap tides
happen during the first and third quarter of the moon. Smallest tidal range
78
semidiurnal tides
2 high tides and 2 low tides per day
79
mixed semidiurnal tide
has successive high tides of different heights.
80
Diurnal tides
only one high tide and one low tide per day.
81
tide tables
predict time and height of high and low tides for different places around the world
82
domoic acid
potent toxin produced by some diatoms
83
auxospore
resistant stage of diatom created by fusion of gametes. Eventually give rise to larger cells with frustules.
84
blooms
periods of rapid algal production
85
biogenous sediments
sediments made from biological material
86
diatomaceous ooze
made from frustules of diatoms
87
siliceous ooze
made from silica
88
diatomaceous earth
made from frustules of diatoms
89
zooxanthellae
symbiotic dinoflagellates that live in a wide variety of animals including sponges, sea anemones, giant clams, and corals.
90
thallus
name for the entire body of a seaweed
91
blades
"leaves" of seaweed
92
stipe
"stem" of seaweed
93
pneumatocyst
air bladder to raise blades closer to surface
94
holdfast
"roots" of seaweed
95
fucoxanthin
yellow-brown pigment characteristic of brown algae.
96
kelps
largest and most complex of all brown algae
97
phycobilins
red pigments in red algae that mask chlorophyll
98
coralline algae
red algae that deposite calcium carbonate in their cell walls
99
calcareous green alga
have calcium carbonate deposits in their segments.
100
alternation of generations
alternation between a haploid and diploid generation. Isomorphic when they look the same. Polymorphic when they look different.
101
halophytes
salt-tolerant plants
102
seagrasses
Closest relatives are lilies. Fully adapted to marine life
103
Cordgrasses
true members of grass family. Live in salt marshes and other soft-bottom coastal areas.
104
mangroves
trees and shrubs adapted to live along tropical and subtropical shores around the world.
105
mangals
mangrove forests

Marine Biology (2 decks)

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